Jean Van De Velde and the 9 Other Worst Chokes in Pro Golf History

Every golfer has an off day—a slice here and there, a chunked shot or a putt that is gagged.

However, the most this costs us is some wounded pride or a $5 Nassau. For professionals, who in many cases are vying for a major championship, these very public mistakes are magnified to a blinding level.

While any list is subjective, the following 10 worst chokes in pro golf history will go down in infamy.

Jean Van De Velde, 1999 British Open

Jean Van de Velde was a journeyman player who had a chance at history at the 1999 British Open.

Standing on the tee on number 18 at Carnoustie, Van de Velde had a three-stroke lead. The tournament was already over, it seemed.

Faced with a dilemma every golfer has thought about, Van de Velde pulled out his driver. He could have hit three straight seven irons to reach the green and three-putted, and he still would have won the tournament.

Instead, his drive rolled into the rough and Van de Velde decided to go for the green instead of laying up. Unfortunately his shot bounced off the grandstands into the thick, rough short of the Barry Burn water hazard.

Van de Velde hacked his ball out, but it plopped down into the Burn.

Finally, using a little portion of his brain he took a drop but put his next shot into the green side bunker, where he blasted out and sank his putt for the most infamous triple-bogey in golf history.

He completed this historic meltdown by losing the playoff to Paul Lawrie.